Shades Of Malice

Thomas walked down the hallway of Lincoln High School, his books cradled in his arms. He looked around at the students bustling past him, feeling a sense of boredom as he made his way to his locker and suddenly, a figure bumped into him from his side, causing his books to scatter all over the floor. The girl who had collided into Thomas bent down to help him gather his books, her face obscured by her messy hairs ."I'm so sorry about that," she said, her voice soft and apologetic. Thomas couldn't help but notice how her hair fell messily over her face as she spoke, half-hiding her features from view

Thomas bent down to pick up his books, and as he did, he got a better look at the girl who had collided into him. Despite her messy hair and casual demeanor, there was something captivating about her .She had deep brown eyes framed by long lashes, and a smattering of freckles across her nose and cheeks. Thomas found himself staring at her for a few moments before snapping out of his thought"It's fine, don't worry about it," Thomas said, recovering his composure. He couldn't understand why he was feeling so distracted by this girl he had just met. He was usually so focused on his studies and goals, yet there was something about her that drew him in her. Thomas had gathered his books and was now standing up, face-to-face with the girl who had bumped into him.

She looked up at him, her eyes meeting his. There was a moment of awkward silence as they stood there, both unsure of what to say next. It was clear that she hadn't intended to collide with him, but there was something about her presence that made Thomas feel a little off-balance but finally, Thomas managed to find his voice. "Thanks for helping me pick up my books," he said, trying to sound polite rather than flustered .The girl smiled and shrugged, "No worries, it was my fault for not paying attention." She held out his last book to Thomas, her fingers brushing against his for a brief moment. Thomas felt a jolt of surprise at the brief touch. He hadn't expected to feel such a strong physical reaction to a simple gesture, but for some reason, this girl's touch had sent a tingle up his spine.

"What's your name, anyway?" he asked, trying to keep his voice steady. The girl seemed unaffected by the moment of contact, her expression calm and collected.

The girl look at him "Victoria smith and you?

"Thomas. Nice to meet you, Victoria," Thomas replied, feeling a little taken aback by the fact that she hadn't even known his name until now. He had no idea what to think of her; she was so different from the girls he usually associated with.

Thomas looked at Victoria, trying to put his finger on what it was about her that had him feeling so intrigued. There was something about her careless demeanor and the messiness of her hair that felt strangely refreshing, against his usual uptight and serious nature "Uh… well, I'd better get to class," he said, finally breaking the silence between them. He wasn't quite sure why he felt so clumsy and nervous, but Victoria's presence was having an unusual effect on him.

**At class**

As Thomas made his way into the classroom, he felt a flutter of nerves in his stomach. It was his first day at this school and he was still feeling somewhat out of place among the unfamiliar surroundings. He took a seat near the front of the room, as the teacher instructed him to stand up and introduce himself. After doing so, Thomas looked around the room, his eyes finally settling on Victoria, who was sprawled across her chair in the back of the class. Thomas couldn't help but feel a flicker of curiosity as his eyes rested on Victoria's nonchalant and carefree demeanor. She was sitting in the back, her hair messily framing her face and her gaze absentmindately fixed on the window. Somehow, even though they'd only met moments ago, she seemed to have an aura about her that made him feel a mix of intrigue and confusion.

The teacher's voice interrupted Thomas's thoughts as he addressed the class and assigned partners for an upcoming project.

"Alright class," the teacher said, shuffling some papers on his desk. "For this project, you will be paired up with the person sitting next to you."

Thomas looked at Victoria, then looked back at the teacher, realizing they had been put together for this assignment. Just what kind of assignment will this be?, Thomas wondered internally.

*Her pov*

Victoria sat lazily in her chair, her eyes flickering over to Thomas as the teacher announced the partner assignment. She found him to be rather stoic and serious, a stark contrast to her carefree nature. She had no particular interest in him, but he certainly seemed curious about her.

At the mention of partners, she glanced back at the teacher. Pairing up with Thomas for a project? Interesting.

A small smirk tugged at the corner of her lip as she considered the assignment. She wondered what kind of project they would have to work on and if Thomas would be a good partner. She had a reputation for slacking off in group projects, but something told her that Thomas wouldn't put up with that. She glanced sideways at him again, taking in his serious expression and carefully arranged notebook on his desk. He seemed like the type to take the assignment seriously and probably expected the same from his partner.

For Victoria, working with him might not be so easy, but she couldn't help but feel a thrill at the prospect of getting under his skin with her nonchalant attitude.

Once the teacher finished handing out instructions for the project, Thomas turned to Victoria, not feeling entirely enthusiastic about being paired with her.

He was used to working with partners who took assignments seriously and expected to divide the work equally. Victoria, with her relaxed demeanor and apparent lack of enthusiasm, seemed unreliable to him. He forced himself to be polite and spoke plainly. "So, uh, where should we work on the project? Your place or mine?"Victoria shifted her gaze to him, her expression unconcerned and playful. His voice carried an undertone of skepticism, and she could tell he wasn't expecting much from her, just like most people she'd been paired up with.

"Hmm," she thought aloud. "How about we meet at mine?"Thomas nodded in agreement, not realizing what he was getting himself into. Her relaxed nature, and her playful tone was beginning to feel a little too friendly.

Victoria smiled slightly, almost as if she was trying to push his buttons, her eyes flickering over him as she spoke. "Don't worry, you'll love my place. It's much more interesting than yours, I'm sure

Thomas raised an eyebrow at her remark and couldn't help but respond in a dry, almost sarcastic tone. "I'm sure your place is fascinating. Is it as cluttered as your hair?"Victoria chuckled at his reply, a smug grin spreading across her face. "Well, it may be a little messy, but it's also full of surprises." She leaned closer to him, a playfully flirtatious sparkle in her eye.

The sudden shift in her demeanor had Thomas slightly thrown off, but he remained stoic and resistant to her attempts to rile him up. Thomas tried to resist the urge to be drawn in by her playful demeanor, but her proximity and teasing attitude were making it harder to remain indifferent.

He rolled his eyes in a slightly exasperated manner, but behind his stoic demeanor he was beginning to feel a glimmer of annoyance and attraction- wait what-

Thomas quickly composed himself once again, focusing himself on the task at hand. The chemistry between them was getting too distracting and he didn't want her to get the better of him. He cleared his throat and asked more bluntly, "When should I come over for the project?"

Victoria leaned back and pretended to think for a few moments, her finger tapping her chin. "Hmm... How about tomorrow afternoon? Does that work for you?"

Thomas nodded briskly. "Tomorrow works for me," he said neutrally, trying to downplay the anticipation building inside him. There was something about her that made his thoughts cloud ever so slightly.

*Time skip*

Thomas had just finished changing into a casual outfit as he headed to leave. As he bid his mother a quick goodbye, he was pulled into the living room by his father, Mr. Thompson.

"Hey Thomas, how was your day at school?" the man asked, looking up from the newspaper he was reading.

Thomas shrugged. "It was okay, new school and all that.",

"And what about the case on the CEO's son? How's the investigation going? Find any leads?"Mr. Thompson groaned, his face showing fatigue and frustration. "None. The entire case is like a puzzle with no missing pieces." He rubbed his temples, a telltale sign that it had been a long day at work. "And the entire situation around the school is strange as well. I have a gut feeling something is off"